VOA慢速英语2013 AS IT IS - Obama will give his fourth State of the Union speech

 

AS IT IS - Obama will give his fourth State of the Union speech

Welcome, to As It Is.

President Obama will give his fourth State of the Union speech Tuesday. The speech signals major policy goals for the coming year and reports, as the name suggests, on the current state of the country. Today, we hear about two issues that could be in the speech. And we talk with a Congressional expert about its tradition.  

Political candidates in the United States often talk about immigration reform during election campaigns. Now, lawmakers from the two main parties are saying the system is broken and major changes are needed. Many people expect President Obama to discuss the issue of the nation’s 11 million undocumented immigrants in his State of the Union speech. Faith Lapidus has more. 

A group of Democratic and Republican senators recently proposed a series of immigration reforms. Under the plan, illegal immigrants would register with the government. They would agree to let the government investigate their financial and criminal history. And they would have to pay any fines or taxes they owe.  

In return, the immigrants would earn a special "probationary¹" status. This would permit them to live and work legally in the United States. 

The plan would set special rules for children who entered the United States with their parents and were educated in the country. Exceptions also would be given to agricultural workers needed for the nation's food supply. The Senators’ plan would strengthen enforcement of immigration rules.  

President Obama has set out goals for his own plan.   

"The time has come for common-sense, comprehensive immigration reform. The time is now."  

The administration has noted² four areas that need reform. They are border security, simplifying legal immigration, a path to earned citizenship³ and measures against those employing illegal immigrants.  

Immigration reform is now getting a lot of attention from both the Democratic and Republican parties. Senator John McCain represents the state of Arizona, which borders Mexico.  

“Now we will again attempt to commit the remaining resources to secure the border, modernize⁴ and streamline⁵ our current immigration system, and create a tough but fair path to citizenship for those here illegally.”  

Marco Rubio of Florida is one of the Senators involved in the bipartisan reform plan.  Republicans chose him to give their party’s reply to the State of the Union speech. I’m Faith Lapidus. 

The tragic⁶ shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut brought attention to the issue of gun control in the United States. Twenty children were among the 26 people killed in the attack.  

Since then, President Obama recorded a message about gun control, and Congress held its first hearings on the issue. So many people will be listening to what the president has to say to lawmakers Tuesday night. Christopher Cruise has more. 

Few issues in American politics bring emotions to a boil faster than gun control. Gun rights activists⁷ have fought measures designed to limit or ban the sale of powerful automatic weapons for years.  

The National Rifle Association is a national organization for gun owners. The NRA fights new gun laws in the courts and rates political candidates on their gun-related positions.  

Gun control supporters have called for laws banning or limiting ownership of weapons meant for military use. President Obama has called on Americans to take part in a campaign to fight gun violence. He says military weapons were not meant to be used by the public.    

“Weapons designed for the theater of war have no place in a movie theater.  The majority of Americans agree with us on this.” 

The right to gun ownership is part of the Constitution’s Bill of Rights. “The right of the people to keep and bear arms,” it says, is protected. But what kinds of weapons are protected is a point of sharp disagreement. 

Sometimes it appears as if the two sides are not speaking the same language. Listen to this exchange between Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois and Wayne Lapierre, the head of the NRA during a recent Congressional hearing. 

“You miss that point completely! It is basic!”“I think you miss the point.” 

“Let there be order!” 

The high emotion guarantees that both supporters and opponents of gun control will be listening closely to the speech Tuesday. I’m Christopher Cruise. 

President Obama speaks to Congress and the American people Tuesday night. The State of the Union speech dates back to the early days of the nation. We talk with an expert about the speech. But first, Caty Weaver⁸ gives us a short history. 

“Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States.” 

So starts every State of the Union speech in the meeting room of the United States House of Representatives. Members of both the House and the Senate gather there for the message. The president also invites other people. 

President George Washington gave the first State of the Union in 1790. Radio broadcasts of the speech began in 1923, with President Calvin Coolidge. President Harry⁹ Truman’s 1947 address was the first to be broadcast on television. 

The State of the Union has become more than just a device for providing Congress with information. And most presidents hope the speech will move Americans to reach for higher goals. 

“Walter Oleszek is a congressional expert.  

He’s joined us on the telephone to talk about how the State of the Union has changed over the years. 

Welcome, Walter.” 

“Glad to be here.” 

“Now the constitution says the president shall from time to time give Congress information on the state of the union. How has the purpose of the State of the Union changed over the years? Well its changed in some ways, in significant ways and probably in others not so much. George Washington basically set the precedent¹⁰ for annual State of the Union messages before the Congress. Now, Jefferson broke the idea of appearing in person before the Congress.  He submitted annual written messages. But then Woodrow Wilson he established the current precedent again.” 

“Would the writers of the constitution recognize the speech today?” 

Sure, I mean there are certainly elements of continuity they would recognize a president going before a joint-session of Congress.     

But certainly in terms of the technological¹¹ developments, they might be in part perhaps awed¹² by the new developments.  

Harry Truman was the first TV presentation. And then Lyndon Johnson also made a big change, if you will. Lyndon Johnson decided¹³ in ’65 that he would do it in prime time, 9 p.m. And that’s been the case ever since.   

Thank you for joining us today. I’m Mario Ritter.

1 probationary   

试用的，缓刑的

参考例句：

• After a six-month probationary period, she was confirmed in her post. 经过六个月的试用期之后，她获准正式任该职。
• After a three-month probationary period, she was confirmed in her post. 经过三个月的试用期后，她获准正式任职。

2 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

3 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

4 modernize   

vt.使现代化，使适应现代的需要

参考例句：

• It was their manifest failure to modernize the country's industries.他们使国家进行工业现代化，明显失败了。
• There is a pressing need to modernise our electoral system.我们的选举制度迫切需要现代化。

5 streamline   

vt.使成流线型；使简化；使现代化

参考例句：

• We must streamline our methods.我们必须简化方法。
• Any liquid or gas passing it will have streamline flow.任何通过它的液体或气体将呈流线型的流动。

6 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

7 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

9 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

10 precedent   

n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的

参考例句：

• Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
• This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。

11 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

12 awed   

adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The audience was awed into silence by her stunning performance. 观众席上鸦雀无声，人们对他出色的表演感到惊叹。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I was awed by the huge gorilla. 那只大猩猩使我惊惧。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。